Rodmell and Southease

VISITORS: The Americans that came to stay were not in favour of Mr Trump, and when I said we feel sorry for you, they said ‘So you should. The only people benefitting from all this are the Trump family.’ The world is in quite a worrying situation at the moment, most people feel. We have to think of the future for the young.

BUTTERFLIES: I was delighted to see in my garden on Saturday, a small group of tiny bright blue butterflies. As butterflies are getting scarce these days (apart from the Cabbage Whites, damn them), it was a lovely surprise.

MARLEY: The cat that visits us, had two traumatic experiences in one day last week. In the morning, as I let him out, he came face to beak with a rather large seagull, sitting on the mat outside the door, and in the evening, a large hedgehog was scoffing his bowl of dried treats. Quite a shock for an elite Siamese. He is obliterating the voles around our property at the moment, which is quite a shame as they are rather sweet.

GOOD NEIGHBOUR SCHEME: There was a meeting of the Rodmell Good Neighbour Scheme, in the pub last week. For a new idea, it seems to be going rather well, and I for one am glad of the help I’m getting. My thanks to all the volunteers.

ST GEORGE’S DAY: And Shakespeare’s Birthday were celebrated in Rodmell Village Hall on Saturday April 23. There were cream teas and a Shakespeare Quiz, which was won by Judith Bradbury, who was evidently a whizz on Shakespeare’s quotations.

COFFEE MORNING: The coffee morning in the village hall is always a pleasant break and Pat Alcorn’s lemon cake never lasts long as it’s so delicious.

WE NEED WOOL: Several ladies in the village (yours truly being one of them), would like people who have wool to spare to give it to us. We knit squares to make into blankets for the dogs and cats at Raystede. All sorts are welcome, and it can be one ball or a bag of wool. All gratefully received. It can be given to me and I will distribute it.

PUZZLE: One of life’s little puzzles: why do men haul their jumpers etc over their heads by the collar, one handed, thus making a hole in a matter of time by the label? Ladies cross their arms, gather the sides of the jumper and peel it off, thus causing no stress to the fabric. Let’s face it; it’s the women that end up mending the damage.

BUSES: I had to use a bus to get to and from the Sussex County Hospital recently. I just don’t know how some of the people cope with using public transport. You get thrown from pillar to post, people are coughing and sneezing all around you and I found it was standing room only. But the two people who offered me a seat were both foreigners and so polite. How older, more frail people keep their balance and don’t topple over is amazing to me. They are probably hanging on for dear life.

SPEEDING: I wonder how many people have come a cropper with the new speeding fines. If they were checked on the C7, a lot of money would be made. Some walkers who stayed with me recently said they did not feel at all safe at the parts where they had to use the road as there was so much traffic gong so fast.

MANY THANKS: To the man who rang me recently to say he looks forward to the Parish Pump and never finds mine boring. It’s a matter of taste, I suppose, we all have our favourites.

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